Blog Archive

Egypt recently took two steps to promote the rights of children, but serious violations by authorities against children still demand urgent attention. The government set the minimum legal age for marriage at 18, making right with its international obligations with changes Egypt had already made to its domestic law. Then earlier in January, Egypt changed its Child Law to lower the age when children can be raised by foster parents from 2 years to 3 months. This allows for the kids to get love and care at a much earlier age.

In February, three teenage girls from the United Kingdom seemed to have just disappeared. According to sources they flew over to Turkey. It is suspected that the three girls are trying to follow in the footsteps of their former friend who had recently left the United Kingdom and supposedly joined ISIS forces. ISIS forces are finding ways to recruit many more every single day. Many say the girls have been misled and manipulated but said they did not know who or what had persuaded the girls to flee Britain.

In a recent blog I spoke about the International Criminal Court or ICC and about how they have not been completely ratified by all countries. Now there seems to be an issue within the court. Many people who are charged with the international crimes that fall under the courts jurisdiction have not been properly following the courts orders and sometimes not even showing up to their trials. This is a serious issue as they are just trying to make sure justice is served internationally for some of the most serious crimes.

Florida legislators should approve the new bill which would allow judges rather than prosecutors to decide when to prosecute a child as an adult. If its approved, the proposed law would greatly reduce the number of children prosecuted in Florida’s adult courts instead having them in minor courts. Turns out over 98 percent of children in Florida’s adult court are placed there by the prosecutor not by judges. Judges cannot review or reverse that decision. The decision to prosecute a child in adult court carries severe consequences not only for the young person but for the nation as well.

The ICC or as some may know it the International Criminal Court is a court where they prosecute people for the most serious international crimes for example genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. It was established by the Rome Statute, an international treaty that has been ratified by 122 countries, and has been signed by an additional 31 countries that have not yet ratified it, with the United States being one of the few countries not to ratify the statute. This is yet another international agreement that the United States has not ratified just like the CRC.

The United Nations Child Rights Convention is a treaty that is designed in order to properly protect the children in the world. All nations have ratified it except for the United States. One would think the United States would have been one of the first. Before our Nation can ratify a treaty, the Senate must provide its advice and consent; but that can’t happen until the President sends a treaty package for the CRC to the Senate.

A female suicide bomber attacked a crowded market in Nigeria on Thursday, killing seven people and seriously injuring 20 others. The bomber, wearing a hijab, detonated her suicide vest in the middle of shoppers at a market in the town of Biu. According to many experts there is reason to believe Boko Haram was involved in the suicide bombing. Boko Haram has recently increased its attacks against troops and civilians in this country which is preparing for a March 28 presidential election.

In South Sudan, government forces are currently recruiting boys as young as 13, often by force, as soldiers. Both sides of this conflict have recruited and used child soldiers, which is a war crime when children are under 15. Both the government and the Liberation Army, their opposition, should stop recruitment of all children under 18. They need to cooperate with the United Nations agencies who are involved. Both sides have also in recent reports been continuously recruiting the children and that is completely against what they have made promises to do in late 2014.

A violent group of teens has been causing trouble in an Upper West Side neighborhood, punching their victims or putting them in a chokehold before stealing their cash or taking their electronics and other valuables. The people involved are believed to be boys between ages 13 and 17, and appear to be targeting students around the same ages. One of the attackers was caught on a surveillance camera, police said. They also released the close-up photo of the attacker. They’ve been linked to at least five attacks starting Jan. 22.

A generous grant from the Dutch Postcode Lottery will help end the dangerous practice of armed forces using schools for military purposes in war-zones. The €1,010,500 award is being made to Human Rights Watch, which has done extensive work on the subject. Human Rights Watch calls for an end to militaries using schools during times of armed conflict.